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The Monitor
NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
GROWING —
THANK YOU
$2.00 a Year—5 £ t» a Copy
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Omaha, Nebraska, Friday, October 26, 1928
Vol. XIV—No. 17
Whole Number 689
r LARGE AUDIENCE %
GIVEN REASO \ >R
SUPPOF % SMITH
L . . -. ?
I Enthusiastic Mass Meet ? Id By
F Local Al Smith-for-. >-ut
k Colored League ac Col
umbia Hall.
| WHITLOCK PRINCIPAL TALKER
l Kansas City Episcopalian Clergyman
Delivers Thoughtful Address
Favoring Democratic
Nominee.
IAn audience numbering approxi
mately 600, which taxed the capacity
of Columbia hall, had the very un
usual experience Monday night of
hearing a priest of the Episcopal
church, which has been facetiously
charged with having “nothing to do
with either religion or politics,” de
f liver a thoughtful and well prepared
* address advocating the candidacy of
the democratic nominee for the pres
idency at the first big rally of the
campaign held by the local Al Smith
for-President Colored league. The
speaker was *the Rev. Bernard G.
f Whitlock, rector of St. Augustine’s
church, Kansas City, Mo., who had
been sent by the New York head
quarters to fill the place of the Rev.
W\ C. Williams, former pastor of St.
John’s A. M. E. church, this city,
scheduled and advertised as the
speaker for the rally.
Father Whitlock’s speech, void of
the usual claptrap and stereotyped
appeal to sentiment and prejudice
popular with the average political
speaker and addressed to the intel
lect rather than to the emotions, was
well received and made a favorable
impression.
He said in substance, “I come to
you not as a trained politician or
skillful political speaker, but as one
who with you and all forth-looking
American citizens are deeply inter
ested in the welfare of our country.
I come to speak to you plainly, free- 1
’ ly and frankly concerning what I be-,
lieve to be best for the present time.
You may differ from me and see
matters in another light. That is
your prerogative which must be re
spected and no one has a right to
question it.
“We are living in a new era. A
new day has dawned upon the nation,
race and world. In this new era
freedom of thought and of action
must and will play an important part,
and we must think not so much of the
past, but of the present. My desire
is to start you to think and to help
you to think, not according to tra
dition and sentiment, but according
to the dictates of our deeper nature.
And it is for this reason I plead the
cause of a man whom I believe best
fitted to exemplify not the ideals of
the democratic party, or of the re
publican party, but the true ideals of
democracy. Elected four times as
the governor of the greatest state in
the union, great in solid intelligence,
in moral worth and in material
wealth, proves that such a man is far
above mediocrity, and cannot be eith
er ignorant nor incompetent.
“No man, however brilliant or well
trained he may be, can step into the
presidency without having much to
learn during the first year of his in
cumbency. Governor Smith has
shown that he has a keen mind.
“Having come up from poverty
and having had to endure hardship
and know the bitterness of prejudice
and intolerance, he is able to sympa
thize with those whose lot has been
similar to his own.
“Governor Smith is not any par
ticular friend of the Negro, but he is
the friend of mankind, which is right
eously inclusive. The Negro has had
too many ‘special friends,’ what he
wants is less profession of special
friendship, and more equal opportu
nities and fair play.
“The two major issues of this cam
paign are tolerance and fair play.
These obtained, all else will follow.
The race will gain by being aligned
against religious intolerance which
would disqualify a man for office be
cause he worships God according to
the dictates of his conscience. And
it cannot be disguised that this un
Christian, un-American and uncon
stitutional spirit largely prevails in
the present campaign.
“The democratic party does not
particularly want the Negro; neither
does the republican party. There
should be no delusion about this. The
Negro therefore should realize the
importance of taking an independent
attitude and not one of continued
subserviency to one party which
claims a mortgage upon him, what
ever it may do. To quote a great
race author who wrote many years
ago, ‘When the colored voters differ
among themselves and are found to
be on both sides of a political con
test, they will begin to find them
selves of some political importance.
Their votes will be sought, cast and
counted and this is the key to the
whole situation.' That time has now
come.
“Two chief benefits will come
from our supporting the democratic
nom
our
pendence and self assertion. Manly
independence and dignified self as-1
POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
^ I
RICHARD L. METCALFE
Democratic Candidate for United States Senator
Whose friendship I have shared and highly prized for
nearly 40 years, finding him ringing true for justice, right
eousness and humanity. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS.
HONOR FATHER WHITLOCK AT
DINNER
A dinner was given in honor of the
Rev. Bernard G. Whitlock at Mason’s
cafe, Monday night, at 7 o’clock by
the local A1 Smith-for-President Col
ored league. It was a nonpartisan
affair and invitations were given to
several republicans, but only a few
of them attended. Father Whitlock
was called upon and briefly express
ed his pleasure at being present and
stressed the importance of fellowship
which such gatherings promote. Mr.
John Wood bade him cordial welcome
on behalf of the league and Dr. L.
E. Britt, in a brief, witty and elo
quent speech, also welcomed him.
The doctor concluded by saying, “We
honor you, reverend sir, for your
noble career and the great work you
are doing for the uplift of the colored
people. We need such men as you.
We like you. We are glad to have
you here and feel honored by your
presence. We hope you will come
again. But while we like you and
men like you and are proud of you,
we are going to elect Hoover.”
The dinner was a very delightful
affair both as to the menu and the
spirit of good fellowship which pre
vailed.
Mr. John T. Saunders died October
13, after an illness of nine days
with pneumonia. He was a member
of Pleasant Green Baptist church.
He was buried Wednesday afternoon,
October 17, from Zion Baptist
church, with the Rev. Z. E. McGee,
j his pastor, officiating. Interment
was at Forest Lawn cemetery. Mr.
Saunders is survived by his wife, a
daughter, an adopted son, three sis
ters and three brothers, and had been
a resident of Omaha for 14 years.
The S. S. H. Art and Literary club
met at the homes of Mrs. Julia By
num and the president, Mrs. Francis
Holloway. A dainty luncheon was
served.
sertion are sadly needed.
“This will result in making both
parties clearly understand that we
are an integral part of the political
life of this nation and to be counted
and treated as such, according to the
constitution. The only outlet I can
see for the freedom of thought and
action upon our part which will gen
erate the political independence
which will prove our worth and win
merited recognition in the political
affairs of the nation is to have the
courage to vote for Alfred Smith,
whom I believe stands for the highest
ideals of democracy and will give our j
country a clean and able administra- j
tion.”
The meeting was called to order by
Harry Leland, president of the local i
league, who gave reasons for his
democratic faith, and waxed so en
thusiastic in his praise of his party
that he got mixed up on the “Pat
ricks” and credited Patrick Henry j
with driving the snakes out of Ire
land, showing metaphorically, of
course, that the errors of the repub
licans who claim to have done every
thing for the Negro are to be driven
out by the light of truth. He intro
duced as chairman of the meeting, ,
Dr. W. W. Peebles, state organizer
for Nebraska.
Dr. Peebles delivered a brief, but
fiery and forceful speech, in which
he stated that he belonged to that j
group of younger Negroes who were
determined to show that the republi
can party does not carry the Negro
vote in its vest pocket. They were
not opposing the party of Lincoln,
for that was dead. The present par- j
ty, its successor, had grown rich and
arrogant. The Negro earned his !
freedom on the battlefield fighting
to preserve the Union. He urged
support of the two race candidates |
for the state legislature, be^nett and
McMillan.
“Ted” Roosevelt spoke briefly for j
the candidacy of his father, Richard I
L. Metcalfe, democratic nominee for
United States senator, who could not
be present, owing to the fact that
his numerous speeches in the state
had rendered him so hoarse that he
could only whisper, and he did not
wish to start another “whispering
campaign!” He said his father, in
the event of his election, would make
good his promise to be not only the
senator from Nebraska but the sen
ator for Nebraska.
At the request of the chairman,
Father Whitlock was introduced by
his friend and colleague in the priest
hood, the Rev. John Albert Williams.
HARD TIMES MASQUERADE
PARTY
Under the chairmanship of Mrs.
Augustus Hicks, a hard times mas
querade party will be given at
Dreamland hall, Thursday evening,
November 8. A prize will be given
to the man and woman who have the
hardest looking hard times costume.
Mrs. Hicks is captain of one of 12
companies which has been organized
at St. Philip’s Episcopal church for
the purpose of raising $1,000 for the
repair and improvement fund, and
between which companies there is
keen rivalry. The members of Com
pany No. 3, “The Ready To Go
Team,” of which Mrs. Hicks is cap
tain are, Mesdames Dana Murphy,
Jennie Scott, Emma J. Kennedy, the
Misses Nonence Gibson and Lutie M.
Bryant and Messrs. Augustus Hicks,
Josiah Brown, Alonzo Gregory and
Vanie S. Wheatley.
Y. W. C. A. NOTES
The North Side Y. W. C. A. ves
pers, Sunday, October 28, in charge
of the religious and general educa
tion committee, with Mrs. Hiram
Greenfield, as chairman, will present
a double-header program that will
thrill everyone who attends. In addi
tion to the noted radio Bible teacher,
Mrs. Carl R. Gray’s address, the fol
lowing program will be rendered:
Devotionals, Mrs. D. W. Gooden;
Music, Ladies’ orchestra, Miss Ruth
Seay, directress, Mrs. Venus Parker,
solist; Address, Mrs. Carl R. Gray;
Music, Ladies’ orchestra; Reading,
Miss Susie Whiteside; Music, Ladies’
orchestra; Paper, “The Value of the
Y. W. C. A. Religiously and Social
ly,” Mrs. J. C. Brewer; Music, Ladies’
orchestra.
Social hour follows program. All
are requested to remain and enjoy
the dainty repast which the religious
and general education committee has
prepared for all, free of charge.
The Athletic Gem club, High
School Reserves, have their regular
meeting on Tuesday afternoons. A 1
number of new members have been
taken in. They are planning for
their recognition service to be held
Tuesday, October 30.
Saturday evening at 7:30, at the
North Side Branch, a party for the
blind will be supervised by Miss
Ethel Doty. A request is being made
to everyone coming in contact with
a blind person to extend an invita
tion for the party. Later the blind
will be given an opportunity to be
taught to read and write by the
Braille system.
—
OMAHA LOCALS
Mrs. A. Saunders, en route to her
home in Memphis, Tenn., from Los
Angeles, where she has been visit
ing, was the house guest of her for
mer schoolmate, Mrs. James Turner,
2514 Corby street, the past week.
Mrs. John T. Saunders has moved
to 2529 Wirst street, where she will
be pleased to see her many friends.
Mrs. C. B. Mayo spent the week
end with Mrs. Whitehall and sister
of Fremont, Neb.
A “Ten Commandment Tea” will
be given Tuesday night at the home
of the president of the S. S. H. Art
and Literary club, Mrs. Francis Hol
loway, 2720 Franklin street. The
club adjourned to meet with Mrs.
Kate Harrington, Thursday night.
Mrs. Otis Shipman returned
Thursday from Cokato, Minn., where
she has spent the summer. She and
her daughter, Madeline, went to
Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, to visit
her other daughter, Thelma, who is
taking the nurse’s training course at
the Wheatley Provident hospital
there.
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Wainwright
were host and hostess at a very de
lightful party at their residence,
2932 North Twenty-fifth street, Sat
urday evening, in honor of their son
in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs.
J. Grizzard. The evening was spent
in playing cards and dancing. Many
lovely and useful gifts were received
by Mr. and Mrs. Grizzard, who are
newlyweds, and delicious refresh
ments were served later.
Dr. W. W. Peebles and son, Bill,
Mr. J. H. Kerns, secretary of the
Urban league, and Boston Hill mo
tored down to Kansas City, Mo., for
the week-end, returning Monday
morning.
Mrs. William Rouhlac, who has
been very ill, was taken to Lord Lis
ter hospital Tuesday to undergo a
major operation.
| MRS. CARL R. GRAY TO
] ADDRESS Y. M. C. A. VESPERS
I -
i An extraordinary program will be
rendered at the North Side Y. W. C.
A. vespers, Sunday, October 28, at
4:00 p. m. The meeting is sponsored
by the religious and general educa
tion committee. The public is most
heartily welcome and invited to be
sure to attend.
For the very first time, you can
hear and see, in person, the noted
Bible radio teacher, Mrs. Carl R.
Gray at the “Y.”
Mrs. Gray will deliver an address
and answer any Biblical questions
that the public may desire to ask her.
Mrs. Gray is heard over the WOW
radio station every Sunday evening
during the winter and she has gra
ciously consented to make her ap
pearance on our vesper program be
fore going on the “air” to render
her regular Sunday Biblical talk.
Mrs. Gray i3 unquestionably one
of the most outstanding, sincere, de
vout Christian women in our city and
state. She is a spiritual interpreter
of the Bible of renowned ability.
Don’t fail to come to the vespers
early to get good seats. The Ladies’
orchestra with Miss Ruth Seay as di
rectress will furnish music, with Mrs.
Venus Parker as soloist. Every wo
man bring your entire family and be
inspired and informed.
URBAN LEAGUE TO BRING
BUSINESS SPECIALIST HERE
James A. Jackson, assistant busi
ness specialist, Domestic Commerce
Division, U. S. Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce, will be a guest
of Omaha for three days, October
29th to 31st, inclusive. Mr. Jackson
is being brought to Omaha by the
Omaha Urban league and will make
several addresses and will be at the
service of business men and women in
any problem they may wish to discuss
with him regarding business. The
bringing of Mr. Jackson is only one
of the services the Urban league is
offering to improve varied interests
in the community.
Mr. Jackson has served such pub
lications as the New York Sunday
Herald, the New York Globe, Detroit
Today, and Pittsburgh Dispatch; and
has written many stories for a wide
range of magazines.
All lectures and addresses deliver
ed by Mr. Jackson are to be free
to the public.
Mr. Jackson will speak at Salem
Baptist church, Twenty-second and
Seward streets, Monday night, and
address business and professional
men at the Urban league headquar
ters, 2010 North Twenty-fourth
street, Tuesday night.
CARD OF THANKS
May we take this means of ex
pressing our sincere appreciation and
many thanks to our many friends for
their kindnesses and sympathy dur
ing the illness and death of our be
loved husband, father and brother.
Special thanks to the most wor
shipful Grand Lodge of Masons,
Rough Ashler lodge No. 1, and Princ
ess Oziel chapter No. 11.
MRS. J. T. SAUNDERS, wife.
OPHELIA SAUNDERS,
Daughter.
MRS. CONSTANCE CARTER,
Sister.
Mrs. Jane Johnson has been quite
ill at her home, 2222 Howard street,
the past two weeks.
REPUBLICANS HOLD
ENTHUSIASTIC RALLY
AT DREAMLAND HALL
Tuesday night a large audience
comfortably filled Dreamland hall
for a republican rally held under the
auspices of the North Side Republi
can headquarters. The principal ad
dress was delivered by Mrs. Leitha
Fleming, wife of Councilman Thomas
B. Fleming of Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs.
Fleming, who has been active in pol
itics in Ohio for several years, be
came a prominent worker in national
politics, when she was chosen eight
years ago to organize the colored
women in the Harding campaign.
She was called into the same kind of
service during the Coolidge cam
paign. She was selected by the re
publican national committee as or
ganizer of the women in the western
division with headquarters in Chi
cago in the present campaign.
Mrs. Fleming at the outset of her
speech disclaimed any intention of
doing anything more than making a
plain and practical talk to her aud
ience in the “language of my people”
and she kept her promise. Her ap
peal for the support of the party was
along the familiar and traditional
lines of its service to and friendship
for the colored people. She urged
the people to register and vote, urg
ing this duty particularly upon the
women who seemed indifferent to
their privilege and responsibility in
this matter. She emphasized the
fact that colored representatives
chosen to office do not simply repre
sent the colored people, but their dis
trict, just as white representatives
represent all the people in their dis
trict and emphasized the importance
of voting for the whole ticket. She
plead earnestly for her race to stand
loyally by the republican party which
is historically theirs. Mrs. Fleming
paid a high compliment to Mrs. Ada
Hill Smith, state organizer of colored
women, for her ability and effi
ciency.
Mrs. Ada Hill Smith ably presided
and introduced the speakers, among
whom were Congressman Sears; Mrs.
Cameron, national committeewoman;
Mrs. P. C. Hyson, vice-chairman of
the county republican committee and
chairman of the women’s division;
F. L. Barnett and Dr. A. M. McMil
lan, candidates for the state legisla
ture, and Mr. Harry O. Palmer, the
affable and live wire county chair
man, who made an excellent speech
and an enthusiastic appeal for the
support of the whole republican
ticket.
WILL PRESENT PUPILS
IN PIANO RECITAL
Mrs. Florentine F. Pinkston will
present her pupils in a pianoforte re
cital and contest next Thursday night
at 8 o’clock at Salem Baptist church,
Twenty-second and Seward streets.
Music lovers always enjoy the mu
sical treats which these recitals af
ford. The public is cordially invited.
Macon, Ga.—Six students of Mer
cer university have offered their
blood in an effort to save the life of
Lee Battle, Negro servant of the uni
versity for 29 years.
Battle has been one of the pictur
esque characters of the campus ever
since he hiked here from Albany,
Ga., and got a job at the university.
He never missed a football game and
had made countless loans to students.
POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
Vote For
HARRY G.
COUNSMAN
Republican
COUNTY
COMMISSIONER
5 th District
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